All of us want our pets to live forever or at least live a good chunk of our lives alongside us. But the reality is that indoor cats typically live to be between 12 to 18-year-olds.
But not Rubble. The Main Coon cat is believed to be the oldest living cat in the world.
The British cat just celebrated his 30th birthday. Michele Foster got Rubble when he was a kitten on her 20th birthday in May 1988.
“He was part of a litter of cats that my sister’s friend had, and I had just left home,” Foster told Daily Mail. “I was lonely living on my own so got him in as a kitten. He is very loyal. We used to live in London and moved around a lot.”
Since then, Rubble has become an unofficial world record holder. The oldest cat to have ever lived was named Creme Puff who died in 2005 at the age of 38-years-old.
But Rubble doesn’t have any need to be in the spotlight.
“He’s a lovely cat, although he has got a little grumpy in his old age,” Foster said.
“He has plenty of life left in him yet, but I don’t think we will go down the Guinness World Record route as I am not sure he would like lots of people coming to see him or a fuss being made out of him,” Foster explains. “He is old now and would not like too much attention or be hassled. We would prefer if he was just left to live out his old age in peace.”
Foster attributes Rubble’s longevity to the fact that she doesn’t have any children.
This leaves Rubble to be completely spoiled.
“If you care about something and someone and really love them, that goes a long way. I have always treated him like a child – I don’t have any children and had another cat called Meg – who passed at the age of 25. If you care about something, no matter what it is, it does last.”
Rubble is healthy overall but does have high blood pressure which he takes medication for.
He recently went for a check-up at City Vets who threw him a little birthday party.
“We recently had this amazing cat in for a checkup and to celebrate his 30th birthday,” Shaun Moore of City Vets said. “Rubble is quite likely to be the oldest cat in the UK and is still going strong. He is on medication for his blood pressure but apart from that, he is in remarkably good health.”
He got some treats and some presents too!
“He enjoyed a free check-up, some Whiskas Catmilk and Felix pouches, and less appreciated a free supply of medication for the next month as his birthday present from City Vets,” Moore said.
Since then Rubble, who is 137-years-old in human years, has gone viral.
“He looks young for his age…the secret must be plenty of sleep and sardines,” said one Daily Mail commenter.
“Still handsome! Happy birthday Rubble!” said another.
Publications across the world have shared his story to wish him a happy birthday!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
